MARCH 2003 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER
Across the country, there are thousands of low-performing schools.
How can we lead, support, and sustain low-performing schools in their
transition to high-performing learning communities? This issue of
the Professional Development Newsletter provides resources that
address this critically important challenge, along with a series of
reports that profile high-performing, high poverty schools and the
practices they used to promote student achievement. It should be
noted that while the resources listed focus on low-performing
schools, they present practices that can support higher levels of
student achievement in every school setting.
1. From Sanctions to Solutions
2. "Can Failing Schools Be Fixed?"
3. Helping Low-Performing Schools Improve
4. AEL Colloquium on Sustainable School Reform Proceedings
5. What Works With Low-Performing Schools
6. Improving Low Achievement
7. Leadership Practices That Promote Student Achievement
8. Strategies for Principals
9. Research-Based Strategies to Achieve High Standards
10. "Step By Step"
11. Urban School Systems Improving Student Achievement
12. High-Poverty, High-Performing California Schools
13. Nine High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools
14. Dana Center Reports on High-Performing Schools
15. "No Excuses" Profiles 21 High-Achieving Low-Income Schools
CURRENT EVENTS
16. Conference for Teacher Leaders
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1. FROM SANCTIONS TO SOLUTIONS
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"From Sanctions to Solutions: Meeting the Needs of Low-Performing
Schools, " a report from the National Association of State Boards of
Education Study Group on Low-Performing Schools (2002) addresses five
key areas: moving low-performing schools from accountability to
improvement; transforming low-performing schools into centers of
learning; building a state policy environment to support school
improvement; building a community environment to support school
improvement; and funding issues related to low-performing schools.
Appendix IV of the document presents a useful list of selected diagnostic
indicators for school improvement.
http://www.nasbe.org/Educational_Issues/Reports/Sanctions.pdf
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2. "CAN FAILING SCHOOLS BE FIXED?"
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"Can Failing Schools Be Fixed?" a report by Ronald C.
Brady (Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, January 2003) examines
interventions that states have used to bring about improved student
performance in schools in which students have are making
unsatisfactory performance. Intervention strategies are rated as
mild, moderate, or strong, depending upon their degree of
intrusiveness to school sites. The report also reviews No Child Left
Behind accountability requirements, along with interventions,
alternatives, and sanctions.
http://www.edexcellence.net/library/failing_schools/failingschools.html
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paste it into your browser address window.
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3. HELPING LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS IMPROVE
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This concise document from the Region VI Comprehensive Regional
Assistance Center Consortium (September 1998) presents a two-page
overview of 14 steps that schools can take to help improve low-
performing schools. The 14 steps are drawn from work by several
authors.
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ccvi/zz-pubs/ReformTalk/Year_1998/Sep_98_Reform_Talk_9.html
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paste it into your browser address window.
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4. AEL COLLOQUIUM ON SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL REFORM PROCEEDINGS
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In 2001, regional educational laboratory AEL convened a group of
school leaders and researchers from the United States, Canada, and
England in a Colloquium on Low-Performing Schools. Participants
discussed critical issues in leading, supporting, and sustaining
change in low-performing schools. This concise document summarizes
findings from the Colloquium, including strategies for improving low-
performing schools, building a school's internal capacity to change
over time, strategies for promoting systemic change at national,
state, and district levels, and action research as a vehicle for
improving low-performing schools.
http://www.ael.org/page.htm?&pd=1&index=197
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5. WHAT WORKS WITH LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
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In response to requests generated during the AEL Colloquium on
Low-Performing Schools held in 2001, AEL prepared the report,
“What Works With Low-Performing Schools: A Review of Research
(AEL, January 2002).” This report synthesizes research findings in
several key areas: characteristics of low-performing schools, ways
to move schools forward quickly, which schools benefit from various
interventions, how resources can be used to support school
improvement, and “growing” leadership for improving student
achievement.
http://www.ael.org/transform/WhatWorks.pdf
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6. IMPROVING LOW ACHIEVEMENT
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In his article "Up and Away," Mike Schmoker contends that a clear
focus on simple, effective methods for lifting low performance in
schools can be highly effective, and yield important results
(Journal of Staff Development, Spring 2002). He notes that many
states and school districts show significant increases in student
performance when teachers work in teams and "focus substantially,
though not exclusively, on assessed standards." Other suggestions
are that teacher teams should: (1) review the available achievement
data to set measurable achievement goals in the lowest-scoring
subjects or courses; and (2) use assessment data to design, adapt,
and assess instructional strategies targeted directly at specific
standards of low student performance. Schmoker also notes
implications for staff development programs.
http://www.nsdc.org/library/jsd/schmoker232.pdf
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7. LEADERSHIP PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
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“Leading School Improvement: What Research Says“ a report published
by the Southern Region Education Board (March 2001) presents current
thinking about leadership practices that promote student achievement.
It demonstrates that there is consensus about what leaders must
know and be able to do to lead schools in which students are
successful.
http://www.sreb.org/main/leadership/pubs/LeadingSchool_Improvement.pdf
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8. STRATEGIES FOR PRINCIPALS
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The article "Challenges and Strategies for Principals of Low-
Performing Schools" by Abelardo Villareal (IDRA Newsletter,
January 2001) is designed to “provide principals with a framework
for executing research-based changes and provide suggestions and
procedures for achieving these changes." The article focuses on the
needs of schools with high percentages of English learners, and
school settings that are academically low-performing.
http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2001/Jan/Lalo.htm#Art1
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9. RESEARCH-BASED STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE HIGH STANDARDS
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"Comprehensive School Reform Research-Based Strategies to Achieve
High Standards: A Guidebook on Schoolwide Improvement" (WestEd, 2000)
is a 190 page resource available online. The guidebook discusses the
context for comprehensive school reform, key elements of the
comprehensive school reform demonstration program, building a solid
foundation for schoolwide reform, gathering information for informed
decisions, and planning, implementing, and sustaining comprehensive
schoolwide reform. Tools, activities, and profiles of successful
schools are also included.
http://www.wested.org/csrd/guidebook/toc.htm
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10. "STEP BY STEP"
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The National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform presents
"Step by Step," an online collection of tools and resources designed to
assist schools as they plan, implement, and support schoolwide reform
programs. Resources are provided in the following areas: assessing
needs, examining school reform models, identifying effective
instructional strategies, creating a professional development plan,
visiting schools and networking, partnering with external providers,
involving parents and communities, securing and reallocating
resources, and evaluating school progress.
http://www.goodschools.gwu.edu/sbs/index.html
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11. URBAN SCHOOL SYSTEMS IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
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"Case Studies of How Urban School Systems Improve Student
Achievement " (September 2002), a long-term study from the Council
of Great City Schools, examines actions that urban districts have
taken to impact student achievement. Researchers found that the
challenges of urban schools and districts included: unsatisfactory
student achievement; political conflict; inexperienced teaching
staff; low expectations and lack of demanding curriculum; lack of
instructional coherence; high student mobility; and unsatisfactory
business practices. The findings highlighted the need to:
focus on specific student achievement goals; establish
accountability systems; focus on the lowest-performing schools;
develop districtwide approaches; provide professional
development programs; support the improvement of instruction
through central office actions; utilize data-driven decision-
making; begin reform at the elementary level; and provide
intensive math and reading instruction at the middle and high
school levels.
http://www.cgcs.org/reports/Foundations.html
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12. HIGH-POVERTY, HIGH-PERFORMING CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
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"They Have Overcome: High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools in
California" is a new report by the Pacific Research Institute. This
publication examines ways in which schools that serve low-income,
ethnically and racially diverse students are succeeding through
successful methods. According to the report, successful methods for
improving student achievement include: research-based curricula and
teaching methods; state academic content standards; frequent
assessments, and standards-based professional development focusing
on subject matter.
http://www.pacificresearch.org/pub/sab/educat/they_have_overcome.pdf
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13. NINE HIGH-PERFORMING, HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOLS
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The Charles A. Dana Center authored “Hope For Urban Education:
A Study Of Nine High-Performing, High-Poverty, Urban Elementary
Schools” published by the U. S. Department of Education (1999).
These schools serve children of color in poor communities, and
produced reading and mathematics scores that were higher than
most schools in their states or the nation. The research report
found that there were 11 strategies used by many of the nine
schools to improve student achievement. These findings suggest
10 recommendations that are outlined in the report.
http://www.ed.gov/PDFDocs/urbaned.pdf
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14. DANA CENTER REPORTS ON HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
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Several publications that profile schools that are achieving high
levels of success are available on this Web site. "Opening Doors"
discusses characteristics of five high-poverty schools that have
attained high levels of success on selected academic indicators.
"Expecting Success" examines five high-performing, high-poverty
elementary schools that demonstrate how students with disabilities
can excel in state assessments. "Driven to Succeed: High-Performing,
High-Poverty, Turnaround Middle Schools" includes two volumes that
present a cross-case analysis and case studies of schools.
http://www.utdanacenter.org/research/index.html
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15. “NO EXCUSES “ PROFILES 21 HIGH-ACHIEVING LOW-INCOME SCHOOLS
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In this report "No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-
Poverty Schools (The Heritage Foundation, 2000) Samuel Casey Carter
examines professional practices of 21 principals of high achieving
low-income schools. A companion report, "No Excuses: Seven
Principals of Low-Income Schools Who Set the Standard for High
Achievement" profiles seven principals of high-achieving low-income
schools. Both reports are available on this Web page.
http://www.noexcuses.org/reports.html
CURRENT EVENTS
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16. CONFERENCE FOR TEACHER LEADERS
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The 2003 Professional Development Conference for Teacher Leaders
(formerly the Mentor Teacher Conference) provides a forum to explore
how teachers, in their roles as leaders, contribute to achieving
excellence for student groups that have historically been denied
excellence by our school system. In-depth sessions offer help in
coaching new and veteran teachers to ensure their students achieve
excellence. This three-day conference, "Teachers Lead the Way:
Evidence of Excellence Through Equity" will be held March 24-26,
2003, in Palm Springs. There are opportunities to network with PAR,
BTSA, National Board Certified Teachers, and other teacher leaders.
Keynote speakers include Glenn Singleton and Amada Irma Perez.
For more information contact EduAlliance at 831-457-7991 or by e-mail
at http://www.edualliance.org.
This electronic newsletter is sponsored by the Region 8 California Professional Development Consortium (CPDC) administered by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, or to subscribe to our other our free electronic Newsletters for High School or Middle School, email call or fax Christina Doyle: email - cdoyle@kern.org, phone (661) 636-4331 or fax (661) 636-4135.
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